Meet the team : Adrien Bernard

Adrien Bernard, our boat captain who won the Vendée Globe!

Today I’d like to introduce you to the technical director of the IMOCA Fortinet – Best Western, a new recruit who joined the team last January.

Born in the Bordeaux region, Adrien started out in the Arcachon basin, where he became a sailing instructor before taking on the challenge of crossing the Atlantic during the 2019 Mini-Transat. On his return, he joined the Maitre Coq team during the victorious Vendée Globe 2020 campaign, then took part in the construction of the IMOCA Paprec Arkea before joining the Fortinet – Best Western team.

Suffice to say, it’s a real asset, as we know IMOCAs inside out. He’s also a bit of an ocean racing bible, never stingy with anecdotes of any kind. Within the team, he’s like an orchestra conductor, directing operations around the boat to check it and make it reliable for the season ahead. In the boat yard, you’ll often hear him repeat his favorite phrase: “Let’s get to work, we’ve got a Vendée Globe to win!”